Just A Moment
by Elijah Blackwood
Summary: The Little Mermaid II: Return To The Sea- 4 years later! Melody/Blond Merman story! Read to find out more!
1. Decision

I brush my hair as I sit in front of my vanity.

My hair shines with a healthy glow, like clean crow feathers.

I smile at my slim form as I spin in front of the large mirror beside the dresser.

I may only be sixteen but, like my mother, I got my curves very early.

A perk of being part mermaid, I guess.

I take off my casual gown and stay in my bra and pants.

Mother told me it's unladylike, but I don't mind.

It's more comfortable.

Especially if I take a night swim.

Which I do, at least, once a day.

Since my grandfather, King Triton, gave me the ability to go back and forth from mermaid to human.

No one really liked me since the day the wall came down.

_No one visits me, but I don't mind. _

_I like it better that way. _

_I would live with my grandfather if I could. _

_Become the new princess of Atlantica._

I smile as I think of it.

_I could, couldn't I? _

_I'll ask grandfather!_

I ran as quietly as I could until I reached the ocean.

I ran onto a small cliff and dived off, gaining my red tail on the way down.

I swam as fast as I could towards Triton's palace.

I looked at the top of the water.

Just the beginning of sunset.

I swam deeper and into the column opening.

"Grandfather!" I call out, going to the throne room.

He rises from his throne, swimming over to hug me.

"Melody, my dear!" he hugged me tightly.

"I haven't seen you in a while.

How are your swims faring?" he smiled.

"Well. I came to talk to you as a granddaughter, rather than a subject."

His expression turned serious.

"Let's talk somewhere private."

He led me into a council room and sat across from me.

"What's the matter, Melody?" I sigh, swallowing back fear.

"It's about living with you, permanently." I say softly, meeting his eyes.

He laughs softly, trying to brush it off.

"But you can see me whenever you-"

I lay my hand on his.

"I want to be a princess of Atlantica. My aunts all declined their line to the throne after finding husbands..."

I breathe, "I want to be responsible and live here permanently. I feel at home here."

He smiles, clasping my shoulder.

"I understand. I will send Flounder to tell her the news. I'm sure she won't mind."

I smiled, "But can I still keep my ability to change, when I visit the surface?"

He laughed, hugging me.

"Of course. I'll show you to your room."

I follow after him as he shows me a room with red decor.

I open the closet and see red shell tops.

_Finally, something other than my bra to swim in._

I laugh.

_He is already gone._

I close the door and change into the top.

I look in the mirror.

_Perfect fit._

I turn around and see some people outside playing a game.

It resembled soccer, except it involved much more tricks and you could only use your hands.

I sat on the bench made into the window and watched.

I was too far up to see what they looked like, or even the color of their hair.

I only saw movements and blurs, even if I could see, they were moving too fast to see more than colored blobs of movement.

It began to get dark when one of them noticed me and yelled "Want to play?"

I shook my head no and they shrugged and continued playing.

I wasn't in the palace, per say, so I doubt they recognized me from the height of the tower.

_I mean, most people wouldn't be like that towards a princess. _

_They aren't laid back and carefree. _

_I wish they were, though. _

I swam to my bed and went to sleep.

**XxXx**

I woke up to feel like I was being watched.

It was pitch black and the only light was reflections of light off the gold palace of Atlantica across the way.

I looked up with clouded, heavy eyes.

I lifted my hand to my head, rubbing my right eye with the heel of my hand, trying to clear my thoughts and vision.

There was a figure floating there, a boy.

He leaned against the frame of the window, I couldn't see much more than an illuminated outline, but I could tell he was watching me.

His invisible gaze felt soft, almost wondering.

Then it sunk in that someone was outside my window.

I shrieked and he swam away with a jolt of fright.

Being too tired to get up, and the figure gone, I laid my head back down.

I fell back to sleep quickly, my dreams lingering on that figure.

_Who was it? _

_And why were they watching me?_


	2. Home

As I eat breakfast, I realize I'm still thinking about that boy.  
His eyes seemed to glow with the city as his backdrop.  
The golden palace, shining with glory, caused a golden glow to lighten his features.  
The light caused his blond hair to appear to have a golden halo.  
His skin was tanned and his muscles, chiseled and precise.  
His emerald green eyes had flashes with wonder and awe as he watched me.  
A small smile graced his lips, his shoulder leaning into the window frame.  
His arms were crossed, his medium-length hair floating slightly around his head.  
When I looked at him, he didn't move.  
Just continued watching.  
As if so unaware, I was awake, that he needn't move.  
Grandfather pulls me from my daze with a worried voice.  
"Melody, dear?"  
"Oh, yes, Grandfather?" I ask, looking at him.  
"Your mother sends her love and respect. She thanks you for taking the responsibility of becoming future queen of Atlantica, since your little sister, Harmony, will be five soon. She can now be in line for her own throne." He says calmly, eating a bit of his food.  
I frown at the mention of my sister's name.  
She has mom's long, red hair, with black parts in it from dad.  
Her eyes are so pale blue that she almost looks blind.  
She's everything I'm not, and I hate it.  
She plays the flute and it famous for it.  
She does everything perfectly, unlike me.  
"Melody." Triton says sternly.  
I look at him.  
"You have to pay attention, it's important."  
I raise from my chair as he does.  
"I apologize, grandfather."  
He places his hand on my shoulder.  
"It's no trouble, let's go for a swim around, shall we?" He inquires.  
I nod and we swim around the palace grounds.  
"You need to begin your queen studies."  
"Yes, grandfather."  
"No objections?"  
"No, grandfather."  
He smiles fondly, "Good. Now go have some fun, no one knows who you are yet. Make friends."  
I roll my eyes jokingly, "Like I'll have any problems. I still have Chip and Dash."  
"I guess so." He laughs, "Be home before lights out."  
"Yes, grandfather."  
I swim away and towards the surface.  
I stay in mermaid form and lay on a large flat rock.  
It's about as big around as a carriage and I smile.  
I should visit Chip and Dash, I haven't seen them since 4 years ago.  
I stare up at the sky when I hear splashing next to me.  
I look over to my right and see four people, my age, playing in the water.  
I recognized them from my twelfth birthday party.  
Beatrice Abernathy, Thomas Quill, Roger Dame, and Howard Reynolds.  
Howard's blonde hair looked the same as the night it was covered in my cake.  
Too unkept.  
I stay in my form and wave to them, yelling, "Remember me?"  
All were shocked, I was unsure if it was good or bad.  
Though, I didn't mind either way.  
Howard throws a dazzling smile my way.  
"Glad to see you've gotten your wish."  
I brush my fingers through my hair, pulling it from my eyes.  
"Not only that, I'll be queen within the year."  
I smile, inside I'm feeling spiteful.  
Beatrice smiles wryly, her nose high in the air.  
When it rains, she's always the first that nose(see what I did there?).  
Her short hair is dampened against her face and neck.  
She could be pretty.  
If she never opened that dirty mouth of hers.  
Thomas looks me up and down, analyzing me.  
He must like what he sees because he smiles then wrings out his hair.  
Roger is just standing dumbly, grumbling about food.  
Some things never change.  
I jump in and swim closer to Howard.  
He was my first love.  
It ended the night of my party.  
Best decision I ever made.  
I look at him and frown.  
He looked like the one that was watching me.  
But the eyes that watch me now are not careful and loving.  
The looks he gave me were intimidating.  
I felt naked as he stared.  
I said goodbye and fled under the water.  
I swam as fast as I could and ended up in a reef.  
I rubbed my eyes and the bridge of my nose.  
And, to think, I used to like Howard!  
I sit on a bench of coral and watch the fish swim by.  
"What's wrong, Melody?" Flounder asked, looking at me sadly.  
"I've made some bad decisions. And I'm glad to say I learned from them."  
He smiles, "That's good."  
"But, it makes me wonder, will I make the same mistakes again."  
He thinks about it for a moment, "Even if you did, it's what makes you who you are."  
I laugh, "Seriously? The 'it builds character' line?"  
He purses his lips, "What! It's good advice!"  
I laugh, tapping his head, "Thank you."  
I swim back to my room and enter through the window.  
Floating down onto my bed, I look out the window.  
My new home.  
This view... I'll never get tired of it.


	3. Familiar

I rise and go to Grandfather.

"Would you send out a message to them, it's quite hard to swim there and get back quickly."

I ask him as he is told news from one of his servants, a young girl a little older than me with platinum blonde hair.

She smiles kindly at me, her black tail and shells catching the light in a way that makes her skin white.

She excuses herself and he nods, "I'll send Katarina right on that."

He waves his hand and an angelfish smiles beside him, "I'll make sure to bring them here, if that's alright, Ma'am."

I smile, nod, and reply thank you and I blink and she's gone.

"She's fast." I say offhandedly, and Triton smiles.

"She is. Now, go make friends. I can tell you've made none as of now."

I sigh, "Grandfather, you _are _a genius."

He bellows, laughing, "No, I raised many teenage mermaids, dear. Now go."

I laugh and go out a back way into the inner ring of the kingdom.

Small stands made of coral surround the streets, truly a sight to behold.

I browse the stands, no one really recognizes me, since they don't point me out.

Some stare, then look away.

I go up to a stand selling jewelry and I can't help but smile.

The person has gone temporarily so I take the opportunity to fawn over them shamelessly.

I pick up a pearl-beaded necklace with a shell at the end and pick it up.

I stroke the shell and gaze at it lovingly.

The inside was a peach-like color, the outside a light purple.

"Mel-Mel?" I look up and see the blonde merman I saw many years ago.

I smile, "Yes, nice to see you again. You never told me your name."

He takes the necklace carefully from my hands and lays it back down.

"You swam off too quick."

I blushed slightly, "Oh, did I?"

He nods, "My name is Tristan."

I hold out my hand, "My name is actually Melody."

He shakes my hand, "Then Mel-Mel was a nickname?"

"More like a sputter from embarrassment."

He laughs, putting the sign back to "Gone, come back later please."

I smile a little at this, apparently stealing isn't an issue.

We leave the inner-circle and go towards the outer-rings.

I see a young girl and guy, our age and I smile as they grin.

"Mel-Mel!" they say in unison, rushing to hug me.

"Katherine Breanne, yes that is her entire first name, and Takeru."

"Call me Katie-Bree, it's easier." *

"Tak is fine."

I smile and nod.

I notice the sun starting to set.

"I have to go home."

"Curfew?" Tristan asks and I laugh.

"Something like that. Bye, guys!"

I swim away quickly and halfway through the market I feel an arm yank my wrist.

"When can we all hang out, you know?"

I look back briefly.

"When I have the time." I swim away through back alleys and make my way into my room unseen.

I go in my room and lay on my bed, thinking about earlier.

Why did they look so much alike...

Tristan and Howard...

The thought made me sick.

Howard had not changed a bit.

But Tristan... his hair was longer, halfway down his back.

His smile was wider.

His eyes sparkled a lot more.

And he was a lot more grown up.

His voice was deeper.

And his muscles!

The thought made me blush and I slapped my face.

BAD!

The blonde servant from before sat beside me.

"Hello, Madam."

"Melody."

"Melody. I have word that they will be here before your coronation."

"When's that?" I asked in a small voice.

"A few days from today, 3, I believe."

I sighed, "Not much to learn, dear. You were already a princess before."

How did she know?

I looked at her confusedly and she only smiled, "I know more than you think."

She tapped the side of her nose and was about to leave when I stopped her.

"Wait, what's your name?"

"Annabelle."

"Bye, Anna."

"Bye, Melody."

With that, she left.

I fell asleep soon after.

I was exhausted.

* * *

**_AN:  
_**

**_*If you know where that was inspired by, I swear to God, I'll be impressed._**


	4. Planning

As soon as I woke up the next morning I was dragged around-

_Quite literally_-

From booth to booth of my grandfather's guests.

Well, not really guests.

They're actually planning my coronation.

The sun is down when they get finished with all my help/decision making.

When they leave, Annabelle escorts me to my tutors.

They all teach me at once.

Why they think it'll work, I have no clue.

A tall, slender woman is teaching me etiquette.

A short, pudgy man is teaching me about the royal family.

A pair of twins lecturing me on royal affairs/alliances/etc.

We finish by the time the nocturnal fish roam.

Once I reach my room, I sit on the windowsill, fanning my fin in the underwater currents.

The darkness makes me unable to see my hand in front of my face.

Except for two green eyes that are staring at me.

Realizing they are eyes, I also notice they are only inches from my face.

His eyes are an emerald green.

_The boy from the other night!_

"Why are you in the castle?" he asks softly, as if afraid of startling me._  
_

"I am the princess, soon to be queen." I mumble.

_Queen_ sounded foreign every time I said it.

"May I call you Princess?"

I nod.

"So, Princess, you're the talk of the merfolk you know."

I feel myself blush.

"Nothing to be embarrassed about. They all talk about how lovely and kind you are."

I smile a bit, they didn't even know me.

"I've seen you once before."

I was confused, _he'd seen me before?_

_When?_

_How?_

"At the announcement of your birth. I was three at the time. You were so beautiful, Princess, just like now."

My face turns a darker shade of red, "Thank you."

"You will be a wonderful queen, Princess." he mumbles, kissing my cheek.

He's about to swim away but I call him back, "Wait!"

"Yes, Princess?" he whispers.

"Come to my coronation. I want to meet you formally."

I could only see a hint of a smile in the darkness.

Once he swims away, I call for Annabelle.

"I think I'm love with two people."

She laughs, "I know the feeling. Tell me."

"Well, one of them was outside my window- watching me and he's mysterious."

I tell the story in full detail of meeting both boys for the first, and second, time.

I breathe, letting both of our minds sink in the information.

"I've never seen all of his face. The other is someone I met when I came down under the sea 4 years ago, Tristan."

Her face breaks into a smile, "The jewelry seller?"

I nod, flustered and blushing.

"Well, I guess they'll both go to your coronation. You can pick there. They both seem to like you."

I think this over, "Thank you, Anna."

She smiles, "Anytime."

As she swims away I feel relieved.

But then I realize something.

_Tristan doesn't know I'm the princess!_


	5. Coronation (END)

I had one day of rest to prepare.  
Then I realized something.  
The coronation is to become the scariest experience of my life.  
So much bustling and setting up.  
I hear it from my room when I put on my coronation dress.  
Yes, mergirls wear dresses.  
But only on very important occasions.  
Because they're expensive too.  
Very much so.  
I look in the mirror at the dress.  
It's tight around the bodice but the rest is light and flowing.  
It has red with black designs on the bottom.  
Beautiful.  
The trumpets sound for the arrivals of the firsts guests.  
I hurry down and sit on my chair beside Grandfather's throne.  
Careful to be there when they walk in.  
They greet me with a smile.  
I smile modestly.  
Rule one: never smile wide-  
Because you'll do a lot of it.  
It hurts quickly.  
Soon, the banquet is done.  
The ball begins, night beginning to fall.  
Neither Tristan or the mystery guy has shown up.  
I pull Annabelle aside and talk with her calmly.  
Soon, Tristan comes over and smiles.  
"I like your dress" he says with wistfulness.  
I smile a thanks and he escorts me outside onto the balcony.  
"It's great to see you, you look beautiful."  
The words strike me as strange.  
"Is something wrong?"  
"Just waiting for someone."  
"Who?"  
"No idea?" I say quizzically.  
"A guy who creeps in my window since a while ago."  
His face reddened, then he smirked, "A creeper?"  
The smile.  
The hair.  
The smirk.  
"You're him.."  
"Yep, Princess."  
"Melody."  
He smiles, "Mel-Mel."  
I'm about to stutter out a 'shut up' when he kisses me.

* * *

_Needless to say, when I became queen- nothing changed._  
_He and I married on land._  
_Given human legs when needed, like me._  
_We're madly in love with a child on the way._  
_Named after the girl that set us up, Annabelle._  
_Oh, funny story, Annabelle..._  
_Tristan's older sister who informed him of my return._  
_He knew who I was from the start._  
_But he loved me anyway._

* * *

END~!

Hope you all liked it :)

Review? :3


End file.
